(Sorry if this is in the wrong place) I am a fan of anime (Japanese cartoons). I see people cosplay regularly. Are there patterns for anime costumes or would I have to have somebody draft the pattern for me to sew?

Unfortunately, I don't know of any anime specific patterns at the moment. There was a kinda inaccurate Sailor Moon costume from McCall's in the 90s, but it was a little girl's pattern.

Regarding if you need a pattern for your desired costume, it depends on the costume you're doing. If you're doing something very casual, for example, like shorts and a tee, you can just grab something from the thrift store and work from there. Also, if it's something like a sheath dress, you can make one without even needing a pattern. I'm thinking of doing Kiki from Kiki's Delivery Service and sewing her dress that way.

For slightly more complicated things, like unique coats or uniforms, people like patterns that look as close to what they want as possible, alter as they need it, and sew it from there. I know plenty of people that have used altered ice skating patterns for their Sailor Moon costumes and they turn out great.

If you can't find a pattern for something, sadly, then you will need to draft a pattern from scratch. There's tutorials online for how to develop your own slopers for this purpose.

Kady has the right idea, cosplay is almost always a custom deal and can often be made from patterns from ordinary clothes. It really depends on the character you want to portray and how much budget you have.
I recommend going to cosplay.com and joining their forums. There is a wealth of cosplay costumes in the searchable photo galleries ( often with WIP and notes), material information and tutorials for who those who want to learn and a section to commission others who specialize in these costumes, often in specific areas like clothing, props, wigs, shoes, armor, etc.
Shel

Most of the cosplayers I know use conventional patterns that have similar styles to the costumes they want. You really have to learn to look at the construction and details of a pattern, not the picture on the front -- it can look totally different than the envelope by making the right fabric choices and adding easy details. You may have to combine a couple of different patterns to make your costume -- like a pleated skirt pattern combined with a historical coat pattern, or something.

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